Plate for teeth



Nov. 10, 1931. FOERSTER 1,831,591

PLATE FOR TEETH Filed Feb. 23, 1928 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES EMANUEL FOEBSTER, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA PLATE FOR TEETH Application filed February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,215.

My invention relates to plates for teeth and is particularly designed to be used Where upper and lower plates are necessary and more particularly'with a full'set of upper '5 and lower teeth.

Heretofore plates have been used for upper teeth which are designed and adapted to hold theteeth in place by the palate plate engaging against the roof of the mouth. With this form of plate for teeth it is some-. times very wdifiicult for the person to become accustomed to the same as a portion of the normal reaction of the mouth is covered by the plate in an objectionable way.

My invention is designed to overcome the objectionable features of the upper plate with the palate plate portion and I virtually do away with such palate plate and accomplish a result to maintain'the teeth in the'plates steady andin practically a normal position, so that the person can use my plates and teeth in practically .a normal manner.

It is a feature of my invention to provide upper and lower plates for teeth including resilient means for holding the plates in operative position so that the teeth of the plate can function virtually normally in the mouth.

My invention also includes a particular means or resilient member for the plates designed to operate in a simple and practical manner and being so positioned as not to interfere with the normal operation of the jaws in mastication and in no way interfering with the operation. of the teeth in use. I also include in my invention a particular means offastening the resilient means to the plates so that the resilient means is adjustable to operate with a pivotal action and also 40 with a swivelling action at the end of the resilient means. This permits the adjustment of the resilient means in the desired position in the mouth whichris 'a material advantage.

I These features, together withother details and .objectsof the invention will be more clearly and fully set forth throughout the specification and claims.

In the. drawings forming part of my spec- 5o ification:

Figure 1 is a perspective View from a front posltion of my set of plates and resilient holding means.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same in open position.- i 1 Figure 3 is a side view of my plates in closed position. 1 l

Figure l is a plan viewof a portion of one of the plates. i I

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of one end of the resilient member used with my teeth.

Figure 6 is an enlarged'viewof the fastening means for the end of the resilient member. Figure 7 is a detail of the swivel connection of the end of the resilient member used with my plate.

Mydrawings illustrate'an upper plate A and a lower plate B which aredesigned to carry'the upper teeth 10 and thelower teeth 11. The teeth 10 andll are ofthe ordinary well known type used in plates and usually of the nature to simulate as near as possible the teeth of the person who is going to use the plates A and B. i r

The upper plate A is of a peculiar design having the gum recess 12 extending in the plate in line with the teeth 10 and being cut away so as to leave the palate opening 13. I desire to. make this palate opening just as large as possible so as to permit the'user of my plates to enjoy thesame in as nearly a natural manner as possible. I have found that the palateppening 13 is covered by the month of the particular person who is going to wear this plate A. In providing the large palate opening 13 I accomplish a result which is very practical and'much more desirable than has been done heretofore, in so far as I know. Ordinarily, the upper plate or set of teeth must be held in position by the palate plate which is provided with a suction adapted to engage against the palate to hold the upper plate in place.

In my plates A and B the lower plate B is adapted to rest upon the lower gums of the mouth in the ordinary well known manner and the upper plate is adapted to beheld in position by the resilient or spring member 0. This spring member C may be of coil spring Wire giving the proper flexing of the same or of any other suitable spring material. The spring C is provided with a bifurcated connector 14 which is rigidly secured to the end of the spring C and which pivotally engages with the pin 15 by means of a small pin 16 extending through the connector 14 and the pin 15. The pin 15 is attached to the plates A and B by extending through the lug 17 which is formed integral with the plate. The pin 15 is free to rotate in the hole 18 extending through the lug 17 so that the pin can turn around in the lug 17 In making new plates A andB the lug 17 may be molded directly on to the plates. For other plates where the lug is not formed thereon, I provide a suitable lug 17 formed with the opening 18 and provided with two pin members 20 which are anchored in the body of the plates A or B. The lug 17 or 17 is adapted to be rigidly attached in relation to the plates A or B. In use my plates A and B are placed in the mouth over-the gums of the aw and the resilient member (I is adapted to curve when the mouth is closed,

1 as illustrated in Figure 3. The spring member C illustrated is of coil spring wire and normally extends straight so that even when the mouth is open which would position the teeth similarly as illustrated in Figure 2, the spring member C is still not straight but has a tendency to press the plates A and B apart. Thus in the use of my plates A and B the spring C provides sutiicient resiliency to hold the plates operative during mastication and the movement of the jaws. In fact, I have found that in the use of my plates A and B with the resilient retainer C the plates are held in such a manner as to give nearly every advantage of the natural teeth. The large palate opening 13 makes the plate A much more desired and the springs 0 form sulficient pressure on either side of the plate A to hold the same in virtually perfect position within the mouth.

The lugs 17 are so placed on the sides of the plates A and B as to most practically apply the spring pressure to hold the plates A and B with the teeth balanced in the mouth and to prevent movement of the plates in their use.

The plates may be easily removed for cleansing and the spring C may be turned either toward the front or the baclnowing to the swivel movement at the ends of the spring C, thus permitting the user to easily adjust the plates in a manner to operate most effectively. I have found that in the use of my plates, when one is possibly holding something hard between the teeth, like the stem of a pipe, that it; may be found desirable to turn the spring C to extend forward as illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 3, on one side, while the spring C turns backward as illustrated in full lines on the other side of the plates. This aifords a better holding of the teeth and plates rigidly in the mouth. Then it is true, that while the teeth are being inserted into the mouth it may be preferred to have the spring member G extend forward until the plates A and B have been adjusted to the gums. The springs C then may be turned backward into their normal position, curving toward the back molars and being out of the way so that the teeth may be freely used in mastication.

In using the coil spring member C for holding my plates in place, the member 14 is attached to one side so as to leave the center of the spring 0 freely accessible so that it can be readily cleaned by passing a small brush or article through the spring C. The swivel connection through the pin 15 which turns freely in the lug 17 permits the ends of the spring C to adjust the same to the operation of the plates A and B in mastication, thus at all times holding the plates in place and applying the tension in the proper manner.

The advantage of my plates is very apparent in providing a light weight late for holding the teeth 10 and 11 whic covers virtually only the gums which ordinarily support the natural teeth and providing a. large palate opening with the resilient means G positioned at the sides of the plates away from the action of the tongue and not interfering in any way with the virtually natural operation of the teeth.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have'described the principles of operationof my plates and teeth and while I have illustrated a particular formation and arrangement of the parts together with certain details thereof, I desire to have it understood that the same is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention and that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

' 1. A pair of upper and lower plates for supporting artificial teeth, said u per plate having a palate opening to virtua ly expose the entire palate, lugs formed on theoutside of said upper and lower plates, a pin extending through said lugs, and freely rotatable therein, and spring means. pivotally connected to said pin whereby said spring means may be moved toward the front or the back of said plates to hold said plates by the compression of said spring means in operative position.

2. Plates for artificial teeth including, an upper plate having a palate opening, lug members projecting from the outside of the sides of said plate and secured therein against turning, pins rotatable in said lug members and spring means pivoted upon said pins.

3. Plates for supporting artificial teeth comprising, upper and lower members havmg um grooves therein, said upper plate mem er having a large palate opening, spring means for holding said lates in operative osition in the mouth, and means for swively connecting the ends of said resilient means to said lates, said connecting means including T sl aped pins rotatable u on said plates and hingedly connected to sai' spring means. 4. A air of upper and lower plates for supporting artificial teeth, lugs extending outwardly from said plates and secured thereto against turning, rotatable pins positioned in said lugs and at right angles thereto, means for holding said pins in said lugs, and resilient means connected pivotally to said pins.

EMANUEL FOERSTER. 

